Monday, April 6, 2015
NEW HAVEN, CT—May 26, 2015--The Yale New Haven Hospital Sponsor Hospital Program, which oversees 23 EMS agencies in 12 cities and towns in the New Haven area, launched national EMS Week with a luncheon and awards ceremony on Monday, May 18, 2015, at its Willow Street headquarters. EMS week was first established in 1974 by President Gerald Ford, and is currently sponsored by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians. The theme of this year’s National EMS Week is ‘EMS Strong’. The luncheon and awards were jointly sponsored by Yale New Haven Hospital and by Zoll Medical Corporation.
In addition to EMS providers and Yale New Haven Hospital representatives, attendees at the ceremony included 1st selectman Fillmore McPherson of Madison, 1st selectman Michael Freda of North Haven, Chief Charles Herrschaft of the Guilford Fire Department, Chief Douglas Jackson of the East Haven Fire Department, Chief Vincent Landisio of the North Haven Fire Department, and Charles Babson, General Manager of American Medical Response.
Seven EMS crews were awarded unit citations for field resuscitation of patients who were initially in cardiac arrest, but who fully recovered and were subsequently discharged from the hospital with no residual deficits. A highlight of the ceremony was that two of the survivors were there to present the commendations to the crews who helped save their lives. Bill Carroll awarded the crews from Madison Hose Company and Madison EMS their unit citations, and Ralph Paglese presented awards to the East Haven Fire Department and American Medical Response crews. Other survivors who could not attend sent gratitude and congratulations to EMS crews from the Branford Fire Department (two saves), East Haven Fire Department and AMR, Madison EMS and the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company, and AMR for another successful resuscitation in Orange.
EMS providers were awarded medals, commendation bars, and plaques for consistent, outstanding service over the previous year. Each of the recipients was nominated by other field providers or their agencies, and then voted upon by the leadership of the Yale New Haven Sponsor Hospital Program, which authorizes and supervises their practice in the field. Recipient of the award for EMS Tele-communicator of the Year was Michael Selmani, of the Guilford Fire Department. Scott Martus of the North Haven Fire Department was recognized as the EMS Educator of the Year. The Paramedic of the Year was Firefighter-Paramedic Benjamin Fox, also from the North Haven Fire Department. Firefighter-Paramedic James Murray of the East Haven Fire Department received the award for Paramedic Field Instructor of the Year, and Alex Esposito of American Medical Response was recognized as EMT of the Year.
The highest honor awarded by the Yale New Haven Sponsor Hospital is named for Firefighter-Paramedic Linda Cohens who tragically died last year. This award recognizes one of the 317 paramedics in the region who most reflects the community involvement, compassion, humor, warmth, and collegiality that FF-Paramedic Cohens demonstrated every day of her career. The Linda D. Cohens Distinguished Service Award was presented to Kenneth Oliver of the New Haven Fire Department to a prolonged, standing ovation.
Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit 501-bed acute care hospital with two campuses (plus 42 beds licensed to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital). Its Bridgeport and Milford Campuses serve patients from across the region. The hospital admits more than 23,000 patients and provides nearly 350,000 outpatient treatments annually. The Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital is the only burn center in the state and one of only 64 verified burn centers in the United States. Bridgeport Hospital is committed to providing safe, compassionate and cost efficient care to its patients and the community. www.bridgeporthospital.org
